Canonical URL: https://giftcard.news/industry-deals/runa-predecessor-wegift-raises-4-million-series-a-for-digital-rewards-ap-322550ead27e/ --- description: WeGift's June 2019 funding announcement names Stride.vc, SAP.iO Fund and Unilever Ventures, with the capital intended for technology and US expansion. title: Runa predecessor WeGift raises £4 million Series A for digital rewards API expansion image: https://giftcard.news/images/social/v1/runa-predecessor-wegift-raises-4-million-series-digital-rewards-api-expansion-d65d860318963d524a9eb6e97f009ca5.jpg --- 1. [Home](https://giftcard.news/) 2. [Industry Deals](https://giftcard.news/industry-deals/) # Runa predecessor WeGift raises £4 million Series A for digital rewards API expansion WeGift's June 2019 funding announcement names Stride.vc, SAP.iO Fund and Unilever Ventures, with the capital intended for technology and US expansion. By [Emma Carter](https://giftcard.news/author/emma-carter/) July 30, 2019 2 min read Share [ ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Findustry-deals%2Fruna-predecessor-wegift-raises-4-million-series-a-for-digital-rewards-ap-322550ead27e%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dx%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&text=Runa%20predecessor%20WeGift%20raises%20%C2%A34%20million%20Series%20A%20for%20digital%20rewards%20API%20expansion "X") [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Findustry-deals%2Fruna-predecessor-wegift-raises-4-million-series-a-for-digital-rewards-ap-322550ead27e%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "LinkedIn") [ ](https://wa.me/?text=Runa%20predecessor%20WeGift%20raises%20%C2%A34%20million%20Series%20A%20for%20digital%20rewards%20API%20expansion%20https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Findustry-deals%2Fruna-predecessor-wegift-raises-4-million-series-a-for-digital-rewards-ap-322550ead27e%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dwhatsapp%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "WhatsApp") ![Runa predecessor WeGift raises £4 million Series A for digital rewards API expansion](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/runa-predecessor-wegift-raises-4-million-series-digital-rewards-api-expansion-w650.webp) Photo: Source: runa.io [WeGift](https://giftcard.news/company/runa/), the digital rewards business later renamed Runa, raised £4 million in Series A funding led by [Fred Destin](https://giftcard.news/person/fred-destin/) at [Stride.vc](https://giftcard.news/company/stride-vc/). The release is dated June 27, 2019, while its source page was published on July 30. SAP.iO Fund and [Unilever Ventures](https://giftcard.news/company/unilever-ventures/) participated in the round. Destin joined the board, and new angel investors named in the announcement included [Carwow](https://giftcard.news/company/carwow/) founder [James Hind](https://giftcard.news/person/james-hind/) and [Onfido](https://giftcard.news/company/onfido/)'s [Eamon Jubbawy](https://giftcard.news/person/eamon-jubbawy/). Existing investors [Simon Franks](https://giftcard.news/person/simon-franks/), [Alex Chesterman](https://giftcard.news/person/alex-chesterman/) and [Charlie Songhurst](https://giftcard.news/person/charlie-songhurst/) also participated. The company said the capital would support operational growth, expansion into the United States and further development of its technology platform. Its cloud-based API was designed to automate the ordering and distribution of digital rewards instead of relying on manual processes. Founder and chief executive [Aron Alexander](https://giftcard.news/person/aron-alexander/) described a network of more than 500 brand partners across 26 markets and 20 currencies. The announcement also reported annual revenue growth of 500%, without publishing an absolute revenue figure. WeGift was founded in 2016\. The release recounts Alexander receiving a £5 paper-voucher refund as the experience that prompted him to examine how businesses distributed incentives and reimbursements. Investor comments focused on the application of the technology to customer experience, employee rewards and consumer-goods businesses. Sodexo Engage operations director [Nicole Dunn](https://giftcard.news/person/nicole-dunn/) also described using the platform to broaden electronic gift choices and speed access to rewards. The financing supported an expansion plan for the rewards infrastructure provider. It did not constitute a new gift card issued by the investors or a launch of every planned US service on the release date. ## Sources and documents ExpandCollapse * [Runa, formerly WeGift, closes £4 million investment as it sets to revolutionise global digital rewards industry](https://runa.io/blog/wegift-closes-4-million-investment-as-it-sets-to-revolutionise-global-digital-rewards-industry?utm%5Fsource=giftcard.news) — runa.io ## In this article ### Companies * [Carwow](https://giftcard.news/company/carwow/) * [Onfido](https://giftcard.news/company/onfido/) * [Runa](https://giftcard.news/company/runa/) * [Stride.vc](https://giftcard.news/company/stride-vc/) * [Unilever Ventures](https://giftcard.news/company/unilever-ventures/) ### People * [Alex Chesterman](https://giftcard.news/person/alex-chesterman/) * [Aron Alexander](https://giftcard.news/person/aron-alexander/) * [Charlie Songhurst](https://giftcard.news/person/charlie-songhurst/) * [Eamon Jubbawy](https://giftcard.news/person/eamon-jubbawy/) * [Fred Destin](https://giftcard.news/person/fred-destin/) * [James Hind](https://giftcard.news/person/james-hind/) * [Nicole Dunn](https://giftcard.news/person/nicole-dunn/) * [Simon Franks](https://giftcard.news/person/simon-franks/) Share [ ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Findustry-deals%2Fruna-predecessor-wegift-raises-4-million-series-a-for-digital-rewards-ap-322550ead27e%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dx%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial&text=Runa%20predecessor%20WeGift%20raises%20%C2%A34%20million%20Series%20A%20for%20digital%20rewards%20API%20expansion "X") [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Findustry-deals%2Fruna-predecessor-wegift-raises-4-million-series-a-for-digital-rewards-ap-322550ead27e%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dlinkedin%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "LinkedIn") [ ](https://wa.me/?text=Runa%20predecessor%20WeGift%20raises%20%C2%A34%20million%20Series%20A%20for%20digital%20rewards%20API%20expansion%20https%3A%2F%2Fgiftcard.news%2Findustry-deals%2Fruna-predecessor-wegift-raises-4-million-series-a-for-digital-rewards-ap-322550ead27e%2F%3Futm%5Fsource%3Dwhatsapp%26utm%5Fmedium%3Dsocial "WhatsApp") ![Portrait of Emma Carter](https://giftcard.news/images/variants/v1/emma-carter-editorial-portrait-w320.webp) About the author ## [Emma Carter](https://giftcard.news/author/emma-carter/) Journalist — Retail & E-commerce Emma Carter covers retail, e-commerce and the gift card shopping experience for Gift Card News. From reading to building ## Your next move in gift cards. Tell us what you’re building. We’ll help you explore suitable providers. 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